Intermittent gas lift pump



May 4, 1943. G. l.. THOMPSON Erm. 2,318,029

INTERMITTENT GAS LIFT PUMP 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 24, 1940Vltlllthl May 4, 1943- G. 1 THOMPSON Erm. 2,318,029

INTERMITTENT GAS LIFT PUMP 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F.Ihuuvis.

S INVENTOR: J Georg e ljzomjoson 8 y Zea Q'a,

` ATTo-EY.

May 4, 1943- G. L.. THoMPsoN Erm. 2,318,029

INTERMITTENT GAS LIFT PUMP Filed Jan. 24. 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 72. fi y69 il: l s @nu fz,

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ATT EY.

INVENTORS.'

Patented May 4, 1943 UNITED STATES vPA'IENT GFFICE iNTERMIr'rEN'r oasprrr PUMP George L Thompson and Leo di Cejka, Avenal, Calif.

Application llanuary 24, 1940, Serial No. 315,410

(Cl. 10S-231) 9 Claims.

Patent No. 2,254,554. In that patent the ingress of impelling or liftinguid is described as passing downwardly into the well through aninnermost duct, usually termed the macaroni tubing, and

the egress of liquid which is pumped from the well is upwardly throughan outer annular duct. This macaroni tubing which reciprocates valvemeans in the pump chamber in the lower portion of the well is employedto control the conduct of high pressure lifting'iiuid such as-compressedgas against the liquid in the pump chamber to be lifted and the outertubular member is employed as a ow line to conduct a series of slugs ofliquid to the surface above the well. In this structure a liquidcontrolling valve means is attached to the ow line and it is necessaryto ated by what is usually termed macaroni tubing. The impelling fluidis delivered to the bottom portion of the well adjacent to the work tobe performed where it is intermittently applied with substantially noloss either in volume or pressure. A continuous series of short slugs ofliquid from the well with the impelling fluid is remove the ow line aswell as the macaroni tubing and pump chamber from the well in order toservice said valve means, which operation is laborious and expensive.The present improvement employs inner macaroni tubing as a :dow

line for the liquid pumped from the well and the liquid admission valvemeans and pump chamber are attached to the macaroni tubing so that theadmission valve means and pump chamber can be removed from the well andserviced by simply removing the macaroni tubing and without disturbingthe remaining tubing, or what is known as stripping the tubing, thussaving time, labor and expense.

In said companion application the liquid load above the pump chambertends to reduce the effectiveness of the propelling fluid from liftingthe static (load in the ow line, and when running the pump in a liquidlocked well or pool,

tends to prevent the pump from starting to'function. Our present`improvementlprovides simple and eective 'means by which this loadisauto- `matcally reduced to a minimum so that these placement chamberbeing provided below or near the normal level of liquid in or near thebottoml of projected upwardly through the macaroni tubing to the surfaceabove the well, the-load of the column of liquid in said tubing beingautomatically reduced so as to augment the fiow of liquid from the welland functioning of the pump under any and all conditions to which thewell and pumping apparatus are subject. This improved method ofoperation by which the flow of liquid upwardly through the ow line isaugmented, forms part of the invention included in the presentapplication. The objects and advantages set forth in our companionapplication are embodied in the present invention and in addition thisinvention provides several distinct advantages which will `be set forthin the following description.

A further object of the invention is to provide pumping apparatus ofthis type in which the operating iiuid exhausts from the pump chamberinto the outer casing that is in communication through the perforationsof ythe screens with the liquid-bearing formation of the well, but atthe same time to provide the apparatus with means whereby the quantityof operating fluid and the pressure of the same exhausted into theformal tion will be greatly reduced, thereby preventing the well withsuitable valve means for operating any incidental retarding effect totheflow of the oil inwardly through the screens and the oil-bearingsands.

To these ends our invention comprises the improved method of operation,features of-constructionV and combinationof parts hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Fig. 1is a diagrammatic elevation showing a preferred embodiment of ourinvention applied to an oil well; Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectionof the reciprocating power ram which is shown in Fig. l, used above thesurface of the well for reciprocating the valve means in the well; itbeing understood that any type of" valve actuating means may be usedwithin the spirit of theinvention; Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectionof a fragment of ourimproved pumping ,apparatus showing. the variousvalves and ports and their relative positions in the well; Fig. i is avertical central section, in part, on a slightly enlarged 'scale of aportion of our improved apparatus which is used in the bottom of thewell; Fig. 5 is a vertical central section on a scale sirnilar to thatshown in Fig. 4, of a fragment of our improved apparatus showing thepositively actuated control valve means and oneof the automatic flowvalves used for reducing the static load in the ilow line; Fig. 6 is across section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5; Fig. '7 is a cross sectiontaken on line 1-1 ofFig. 5; Fig. 8 is a cross section taken on line 8-.8of Fig. 4; Fig.- 9 is a cross section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 4; Fig.10 is a cross section taken on line Illl0 of Fig. 5;y

Fig. 11 is a vertical central section, on an en- 'and/Fig. 13 is anenlarged vertical section of a detail showing the vcontrol valve in theupper or emptying position in the large tubing.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, we have shown da grammatically an equipmentembracing our invention appliedto an oil well although it is to beunderstood that the invention is equally applicable for pumping waterorv any other liquid. In this equipment, A is the usual surface stringof casing which is set in the drill hole and cemented into the customarycellar I5, the latter being excavated in the .surface of the groundbelow the der rck IE. B is a string of casing commonly referred to asthe oil string, spaced freely from the inner surface of the outercasing, sealed at its upper end therefrom and extending downwardly intoand held stationary in the bottom of the well. The upper end of the oilstring is closed and connected by the flow line or valved duct .l1 oflwhat iiow line tubing to slide through. The upper end of the cylinder 25carries the upright yoke 30 which has a stationary vertical tubularchamber connection in the yoke.

is generally termed the Christmas tree, to the trap I8 for separatingwet casing head gas and oil that is pumped from the well. C is an'impeiling fluid line of tubing which extends downwardly `in and 'isspaced inwardly from the oil string. This uid line is also heldstationary in the wellfrom the Christmas tree, and consists of -a stringof sectional pipe extending downwardly and terminating near the bottomof the .well and is controlled by suitable valve means for pumping oilor other liquid intermittently from the Well. The upper end of theimpelling fluid line is connected with a compressor 20 or any suitablesource of gas or other motivating fluid. In actual practice gas under as.high as `2000 pounds pressure can be effectively used by our improvedlapparatus for pumping oil or other liquid from a depth-of 8000 feet,more or less. The admission of compressed fluid from a compressor intothe impelling fluid line C -can be shut off in case of an emergency byvalves 2| of the Christmas tree, but normally is compressed andtransported under full compressor discharge pressure down to the controlvalve 60. D is a string of reciprocable macaroni tubing, which forms aliquid ow line. This tubing is spaced from and extends downwardly in.the impelling fluid line C tothe lower portion of the well. The upperend of the macaroni tubing D is supported by the power piston 22 of adamE, which is incorporated into a frame by reach studs 23 (see Fig. 2),said frame being mounted upon the cap 24 on the upper end of theimpelling fluid line C.

This ram has avertical cylinder 25 and said piston 22, the latterserving toA support-and reciptubing D. Suitable glands tight j-oints forthe liquid rcate the macaroni 26," 21 and 28 produce into theterminalchamber 3i, thus making a free movable connection.

, The reciprocable ram is located above the Christmas tree and itspiston 22 can be motivated by any suitable means. In this plan we haveemployed brown neutral oil at substantially. |25 pounds pressure. If theweight of the macaroni tubing is counter-balanced the pressure requiredis reduced and need be only l5 or 20 pounds. This oil is admitted to andbled from the cylinder by two small diaphragm regulators 33 and 34through duct 35 and is controlled by the variable intermitter 36 whichis of usual construction. When desired other means for controlling theoperating fluid to cause the recipro-y cation of the piston can beemployed. 'I'he brown neutral oil is shown supplied from the reservoir l31 which resembles a gas4 trap half full of oil and halffull of gas andis replenished and kept up to pressure by a small automatic pressurecontrolled pump 38. This pump receives negative pressure from a smallopen tank 39 into which the oil is returned from the power cylinder 25.However,

any operating means can be used to reciprocatel the macaroni line if ofsufficient pressure, such as water from a main line having a constantpressure, high pressure gas from the injection gas compressor or mainline, or mechanical means such as a walking beam or pumping jack. Thesedevices for operating the control valve or valves in the top and bottomof the pump chamber may be changed if desired. A

Gas when used as a motivating fluid in the well may be supplied at adesired pressure, or compressed on -the surface to whatever pressure iscured to the macaroni tubing immediately above' the pump chamber at anydesired intervals, thus centralizing the tubing for a short distanceabove the control valves.

The lower perforated end of the string of casing B is set in the fluidbearing strata in the usual manner and is immersed in, and receives,liquid such as oil thereinto, the level assumed by the oilv varyingaccording to the productiveness or bottom hole pressure of the well andthe back pressure exerted against the oil bearing formation byfacilities at the surface. The lower end of the impelling fluid line ortubing C has threaded thereto a suction screen 4I see Fig. 4) which islowered into the oil in the perforated casing B. Immediately above thejunction of the screen with the pump chamber or the lower'part of tubingC, the latter is formed internally with a downwardly and inwardlytapering seat 42. A 'suitable' standing valve cage 43 has securedtherein, by an upwardly passaged plug 44, a standing valve seat 45. Theball check 46 within the cage lifts olf of the seat to permit upwardiiow of` oil or other liquid into the pump chamber- F and automaticallyseats to prevent return flow downwardly.

The standing valve cage is tapered downwardly externally at its lowerextremity andseats snugly Y in the tapered seat 42 to prevent oil fromescaping out of the pump chamber once trapped and from entering the pumpchamber except through the valved passage in thecage. tion 4l joined tothe lower extremity of the' macaroni tubing D has an annular outershoulder 48 immediately above the valve cage 43 and said valve cage isjoined to the macaroni tubing by a longitudinally slotted cylindricalshell 49, the upper end of which slips freely over the outer surface ofthe macaroni tubing and has an annular inwardly directed shoulder 58 onits apper end. This shoulder is adapted to engage the shoulder 48 andlift the valve cage 43 and standing valve with the macaroni tubing whenthe latter is raised and removed from the well. Thus the operatingvalves can be serviced by simply removing Athe A tubular seccylindricalconnection permit free movement of liquid from below the check valve @tupwardly into the pump chamber F.

Immediately above the pump chamber F and the lower tubular section orextension ill of the macaroni tubing D is a check valveor standing.valve which functions to permit liquid from below being forced upwardlyintothe column above, provided by the macaroni tubing and prevent anyreturn movement. This valve has an annular valve seat 5d (see Fig. ll),secured between the abutting ends of two sections of the macaroni tubingby the threaded connections 55, one ci said sections as shownconstituting the lowermost section lil. It also has the ball-check abwhich cooperates with said seat. A suitable grill retainer 5l limitsmore than adequate'movement of the ball check. i A

Arranged above check valve do and its retainer is the control valve, inthis case composed of two connected sleeves til and di, which areformed.

integral on one of the sections ci the macaroni tubing and are spacedvertically apart to produce an annular channel S2. These sleevesreciprocate in and are closely fitted in the bore 53 which projectsinwardly from the inner surface of the large tubing. While in lowermostposition, lrnownas the pump chamber filling position as shownin Fig. 5,the annular channel registers with ports bfi through the wall of thelarge tubing, thus forming a connection with the passage between thepump chamber F and the outer oil string B or the oil bearing formation.This connection is completed downwardly through a plurality oflongimacaroni tubing below the check valve 5B and between the spacewithin said section and the upper outer portion of the pump chamber tovent or displace vapors caught within tube 4l outwardly through ports84. Whenthe pressure of,

their 11p-stroke.

the operating gas in the pump chamber has fallen sufficiently to becomeequalized with the oil bear? sleeve valves 50 and 6l assume uppermost oremptying 'position the lowermost sleeve iii slides over and closes theports 64 and the upper sleeve 6U assumes a position above and out of thebore Bs in the impelling fluid line (see Fig. 13), thus allowing thehigh pressure or injection iiuid, such as gas fromthe impelling iiuidline to pass through the ducts downwardly into the pump chamber F andforcing substantially all the liquid from the pump chamber, upwardlythrough the tube al and check valve 56 and into the inner liquid nowline D and on its way outwardly above the well. The length of each ofthe sleeves 6D and Si and the width of vthe channel 52 and the length ofthe stroke of the macaroni tubing are proportioned so that the partswill function in synchronism to intermittently pump slugs of oil orother liquid upwardly through the inner macaroni tubing or liquid flowline above the surface of the well. v

Tolighten the liquid or static load in the flow line above standingvalve 5b, and reduce the necessary operating pressure for the pumpchamber by reducing this static head which the pump chamber must emptyagainst we have provided one orV more diierential type now valves suchas G at various intervals upwardly in and supported by the macaronitubing. Each of these valves as Y shown in Fig. l2 is connected by aduct ad through the wall of a section'oi the macaroni tubing with theimpelling :duid line C and is regulated to a`dmit the impelling uiddirectly into the flow line at any predetermined di'erence of pressuresof the column oi liquid in the flow line and the impelling :duid-line,These valves may be set to never allow the static pressure to build upin the ilowline closer than whatever they are set for in relation to thepressure of the impelling iiuid without opening and allowing the highpressure gas or :duid to enter and lighten the load. Due to this meansthe pump can be run in a well full of oil or liquid up to the derrickoor and the instant' the impelling gas or nuid is forced down the tubingC while the sleeve valves tu and bi are in the lower or iillingposition, oil or other liquid from both strings of tubing C and D Iwillstart flowing upwardly out of the tubing D and continue until bothstrings or tubing are empty down to the pump chamber. These flow valvesare of ordinary construction.

Operation Fig. 5 shows the valves 5u and Si at the top of Gas or otheroperating uid under suitable pressure nils the inside of the pressureline C to a point just above valve 6G, atwhich point this valve 8ucontrols the admission of the operating fluid to pump chamber F (seeFig. 5). When the valves SB and 6l are in their lowermost position (seeFig. 3), the pump chamber F would vhave been illled with the productionoil or other ber and this vapor plus any vapor in the lower portion ofthe pump chamber on the outside of the tube 41 is forced up throughducts 65 and thence out into the space within the outer tubing Bthrough'ports 64. (See Fig. 3.) When the pressure of liquid in the pumpchamber has become equalized lwith the pressure of the'liquid in thewell, the bottom standing valve 46 will close automatically. As themacaroni tubing is reciprocated by the ram E or any other prime moverused and the control valves are raised into uppermost or emptyingposition the lower valve 6I closes the ports 64 and the upper valve 60opens and allows the impelling fluid to pass downwardly through theducts 65 into the pump chamber thus forcing the liquid trapped withinupwardly through tube section 41, the upper check valve 56 and into themacaroni tubing or liquid flow line on its way out of the well.

The intermitter 36 is set to cause the reciprocation of the macaronitubing at proper intervals for the efficient functioning of thepositively actuating control valves, it being understood that as themacaroni tubing is lowered upon its return stroke the valve 60 entersthe bore 63 shutting off.

the supply of impelling fluid flowing into the pump chamber, which fluidthen eXp'els the oil up they flow pipe from the pump chamber, followingwhich the ported valve 6I opens the portsv 64 allowing that portion ofthe spent impelling fluid that remains in the pump chamber to escape andequalize the pressure within the pump chamber with that of the liquid inthe oil string B, thus permitting the liquid in the oil string to openthe bottom standing valve 46 and freely fill the pump chamberpreparatory to repeating the operation. Thus slugs of o'il or otherliquid are intermittently forced at regular intervals up into themacaroni tubing on its way out of the well.

During the operation of our 1mproved well pump the-automaticdifferential valve or valves G in the flow line cut in and lighten theload of the column of liquid therein to always maintain a predetermineddifferential pressure between the interior of the' flow line or`macaroni tubing and the space between the impelling fluid line and flowline in which the high pressure impelling fluid or injection gas isstored above control valve 60, immediately adjacent to thev point of consumption. One or any number of these differential flow valves may beemployed and they may be varied in adjustment to function soas to cut inat different reduced pressures according to their elevation or they maybe set to release and function all at the same pressure, whereby thestatic load of the liquid in the flow line is most effectively reducedto increase the impelling effect of the compressed impelling fluid atthe point of application in the pump chamber. It is a fact that thelocal pressure in the vicinity of the screens where the oil is admitted,is of importance as affecting the flow of the oil, and it is desirableto 'maintain this local pressure as low as possible. Hence it is notordinarily feasible to discharge a large quantity of operating fluid orgasl into thewell formation, because such a discharge would tend toraise the local pressureand reduce the flow of the. oil into the pumpchamber. However, by employing means at an elevated point abovethe pumpchamber, in the flow line, for reducing the static head against whichthe `pump operates, we are enabled to operate the pump with a smallerquantity of gas and at a lower pressure.

Inv this way we reduce the danger of building up local pressure in thewell near the screens, which J of the back pressure held on the casingor bottom would tend to reduce the capacity of the well, to fill thepump chamber.y These booster valves guarantee no wastage of gas inlifting whatever liquid is pumped into the small tubing D, because ifthe static head in the ow -tubing does not approach the pressure -of theimpelling iiuid line very close they will not open and in case it d'oesapproach it too close they will only let in amount required but withoutwaste.

4The height at which the pump chamber unit and cooperating valves areplaced in the well can bevaried from Well to well to suit the height andquantity of the liquid in the productive zone in the Well. The stroke ofthe pumpj and the uppermost stopping point is controlled by adjustmentsagainst stretch and the bottom stopping point is controlled by the longthreaded reach studs 23,

When it is desired to service the working parts of our improved pump themacaroni tubing can be removed, carrying with it all of the valvesincludl ing the standing valves 46 and 56, the plug 44 permitting thiscomplete operation without disturbing the remaining tubing. This is adistinct advantage due to saving of time, labor and expense. Among theadvantages attained by our invention are the following:

1. The full discharge pressure from the power compressor is'availablesubstantially without loss on the outside ofthe flowing tubing at eachone of the iiow valves and in the pump chamber where the initial work isto be performed.

2. The static load in the liquid flow' line is reduced automatically andcontinuously controlled at a lower pressure than the lifting effortrequired in the pump chamber thus making the pump more reliable,efficient andv particularly serviceable for deep well pumping andenabling the pump to start and continue functioning under substantiallyall conditions. y

3. The working valves are all incorporated into the inner flow linetubing as a single unit, whereby they may be serviced fromtime to timeby the removal of only a single string 'of tubing and without disturbingany of the remaining tubing and requiring what is termed a strippingjob.

4. The operation of the pump is controlled completely from the surfaceabove the well 5. The pump will effectively and efliciently lift all ofthe liquid out of the well -up to the capacity of the pump as fast as itaccumulates, irrespective hole pressures in the well.

-6. All. of the formation gas produced from the well is produced throughthe casing formation without interfering with the functioning of thepump- 7. The use or the pump is not limited as to depth.

8. The injection or lifting fluid is transported to vthe bottom of thewell under full compressor discharge pressure where it is positivelycontrolled, which increases efliciency and whereby the pump chamber isemptied in a positive and-reliable manner.

9. The apparatus employed is extremely simple and inexpensive tovmanufacture, has comparatively few work'ing parts and requires a.minimum of machine work in 'producing l0. By giving the macaroni tubinga long or excessive length of stroke and having the port openings in thes1eeve vwaves so arranged that if the tubing fails to lower to the sameposition each stroke,the`functioning of the valves and operenoughimpelling gas to lighten it the minimum I 1l. It is possible to take allof the pressure off the oil bearing formation or even pull a vacuum onsame without impairing theoperaton of the pump because the pump chamberlls by gravity A or by difference in liquid level inside to outside thepump chamber thus allowing the well to proy duce gas and oil or liquidat its utmost.

12. Due to the arrangement of the valves, each slug does not have to befollowed any further than out of the pump chamber and after the slug hasbeen driven out of the pump chamber -the injection fluid is shut oil'and that trapped within is mechanically bled oft and equalized with theformation pressure, thus greatly reducing the quantity of repressuringgas needed per barrel of liquid and speeding up the number of slugsperhour and the capacityr much greater than is possible with single slugintermitting gas pumps.

13. Although this pump embodies distinct oper: ating advantages inemitting or discharging small solid slugs of liquid upward into theowing tubing consecutively without large slugs of gas following them,the functioning of the ow valves smooth out these slugs to such a degreethat at the surface the discharge from the small owing tubing emulatesthe stream from a flowing well. greatly reducing handling facilities,such as oil and gas separators, compressor plants and pipe` lines tohandle peak conditions necessary on all other gas lift pumps.

In connection with the valve 56, it should be understood that this valvecould be located at any desired point in the now line leading out of thepump chamber. It, of course, performs the function of a discharge valve,but it would operate even if located at the lower end of the tube lll.However, we prefer to have this valve at a high elevation with referenceto the location of the pump chamber, because in an elevated position itincreases the capacity of the pump chamber by a quantity equal to thedisplacement of the tube 4l below it. When elevated in this way, thetendency of this valve to become clogged is greatly reduced as it isabove the level where the amount of sand in the oil or other liquidbeing pumped, would be greatest.

In accordance with the patent statutes, we

have described the principles of operation of our invention togetherwith the apparatus which we now consider to represent the bestembodiment thereof but we desire to have it understood that theconstruction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can becarried out by other means and applied to uses other than'those aboveset forth within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

l. In well pumping apparatus, the combination of a tubular pressure lineextending down from the earths surface, for carrying operating fluidunder pressure, and having a pump-chamber therein, with a foot-valvethrough which the pump-chamber lls from the pool being pumped,

a flow-line tube-string within the pressure line, with a check-valve forpassing the liquid discharged from the pump-chamber` means forreciprocating the flow tube, a valve-chest of restricted diameter in thepressure line, an upper valve head carried on the flow tube and capableof lling the bore of the valve-chest, and a lower valve-head carried onthe now pipe, lling the bore of the valve chest, the lower valve-headhaving ducts extending completely through the same from end to end, saidpressure line having outlet ports through the wall thereof, all locatedat a level between the said valve-headswhenthe flow tube is near thelower end'of the stroke, said valve-heads and outlet ports cooperatingalternately to vent the pump-chamber to the.v exterior of the wellthrough the ducts andsaid outlet 'A ports, and to admit the operatinguid down I of lling the bore of the valve-chest, and a lower valve-headcarried on the :dow pipe, lling the bore of the valve-chest, the lowervalve-head having ducts extending completely through the same from endto end, said pressure line having outlet ports through the-wall thereof,all located at a level between the said valve-heads when the flow tubeis near the bottom end of its stroke, said ducts operating to vent theinterior of the pumpchamber through said ports while near the lower endof thestroke of the ofw tube to permit the pump-chamber to ll, and saidupper head cooperating with the valve-chest in the upper portion of thestroke to pass the operating iiuid down through the valve-chest andthrough said ducts into the pump chamber to displace the liquid in thepump-chamber and force its contents into the now-pipe to produce anascending column of the liquid therein, and a plurality of boosternozzles spaced apart from each other up the now-pipe, each withadiiferential pressure-controlled valve for admitting the operating uidfrom said pressure line to the interior of the now-line to acceleratethe upward flow of the liquid column thereby reducing the dischargepressure froml the pumpchamber to the said iiow tube valve, and reducingthe quantity and pressure of the operating fluid required to empty thepump-chamber.

3. In well pumping apparatus, the combination of a. tubular pressureline extending down from the earths surface, for carrying operatingl:duid under pressure, and having a pump-chamber therein, with afoot-valve at which the pumpchamber lls from the pool being pumped, ahowline tube string within the pressure line, with a check-valve forpassing the liquid flowing upwardly from thepump-chamber, means forreciprocating the :dow tube, a valve-chest of restricted diameter in thepressure line, an upper valve-head carried by the ow pipe and capable oflling the bore of the valve-chest and a lower valve-head carried on theflow-pipe filling the bore of the valve-chest, the lower valve-headhaving ducts extending'oompletely through the same from end to end, saidpressure line having outlet ducts operating to vent the interior of thepump-v chamber through said ports during the lower portion of the strokeof the flow tube, to permit the 'pump-chamber to ll, and said upper headcooperating with the valve-chest during the upper portion of the stroketo pass the operating fluid down through the valve-chest and throughsaid 'ducts into the pump-chamber to displace the 'liquid in thepump-chamber and force slugs of 'the earths surface, for carryingoperating fluid under pressure, and having a pump-chamber therein, witha foot-valve through which the pump-chamber fills from the pool beingpumped, a flow-line tube-string within the pressure line, including anextension projecting down into the interior of the pump-chamber, with acheck-valve located adjacent the upper end of said extension for passingthe liquid discharged from the pumpchamber, means for reciprocating theflow-tube, a valve-chest in the pressure line, valve 'means thereincarried on the flow-pipe', said valve-chest having an outlet portextending through the wall thereof, said valve-means and said outletport cooperating toward the ends of the strokes to alternately vent thepump-chamber to the exterior of l the well through the valve-means andthrough the outlet port, and to admit the operating'fiuid down throughthe valve-means to thel pumpchamber; and check-valve means at the upperend of said extension operating to open at a lower pressure than thepressure exerted by the column on the pump outlet valve, to vent anyportion of the operating iluid located in the said extension while thepump-chamber is lling with the liquid.

5. In well pumping apparatus, the combination of a tubular pressure lineextending down from the earths surface, for carrying operating :fluidunder pressure, and having a pump-chamber therein, with a foot-valvethrough which the pump-chamber fills from the pool being pumped, aow-line tube-string within the pressure line; with a check-valve forpassing the liquid discharged upwardly from the pump-chamber, means forreciprocating the now-tube, a valvechest of restricted diameter in thepressure line, i

an upper valve-headcarried on the flow-pipe and capable of lling thebore of the valve-chest, and a lower valve head in the valve-chestcarried on the flow-pipe filling the bore of the valve-chest,

the lower valve head having ducts extending completely through the samefrom end to en d, said pressure-line having outlet ports through theWall thereof all located at a level between the said valve-heads whenthe vilow tube is at about the bottom of the stroke, the lower end-ofsaid upper valve-head having an inclined shoulder, said flow ,line tubestring operating in the upper. portion of its stroke to raise saidinclined shoulder suiciently to enable the operating iluid to descendpast the inclined shoulder and through said ducts, to admit theoperating uid into the pump-chamber and displace the liquid therein andimpel the vsame upwardly through the check-valve, and said headscooperating with the said ports during. the lower portion of the stroketo vent the operating fluid left in the pump-chamber, up through thesaid ducts and through the said ports into the well. g

6. In wellpumping apparatus, the combinaytion or a tubular pressure lineextending down from the earths surface, for carrying operating fluidunder pressure, and having a pump-chamber therein, with a foot-valvethrough which thepump-chamber iills from the pool being pumped, aflow-line tube string within the pressure line, with a check valve forpassing the liquid-discharged from the pump-chamber, means forreciprocating the ilow tube, valve means including spaced valve headscarried by the flow tube, said pressure line having a plurality ofoutlet ports passing through the wall thereof at a level between thesaid valve heads when the valve means is in its mid-stroke position,saidrvalve means and said outlet ports cooperating to vent thepump-chamber into the Well in one position of the valve means, and toadmit the operatingiluid v in another position of the valve means, intothe pump-chamber to discharge the liquid therein lthrough the saidcheck-valve against the static pressure of the column of liquid in theflow tube, and a plurality of booster nozzles spaced from l each otherup the ilow pipe, each with a pressure-controlled valve 'for admittingthe operating fluid from said pressure line, each of saidpressure-controlled booster valves being a differentialpressure-controlled valve, and having means for setting the same to openat any desired differential pressure, said booster nozzles and theirvalves operating to accelerate the lupward flow of" the ascending columnof liquid in the flowpipe and reduce the static pressure on the saidcheck valve.

7. In well pumping apparatus, the combination of a tubular pressure lineextending down f from the earths surface, for carrying operating iluidunder pressure, and having a pump-chamber therein, with a foot-valvethrough which the pump-chamber fills from the pool being pumped, aflow-line tube-string within the pressure line, with a check-valve forpassing the liquid 'discharged from the pump-chamber, means forreciprocating the flow tube, valve means including spaced valve headscarried by the flow tube, said pressure line having a plurality ofoutlet f ports passing through the wall thereof at a level between thesaid valve heads when the valve means is in its lower stroke position,said valve means and said outlet ports cooperating to vent the pumpchamber into the well in one position of. the valve means, and to admitthe operating duid in another position of the valve means', into thepump chamber to discharge the liquid therein through the saidcheck-valve against the static pressure of the column of liquidI in theflow tube. and a plurality of booster nozzles spaced from each other upthe ow pipe, each with a pressurecontrolled valve for admitting theoperating fluidk from said pressure line, each of saidpressurecontrolled booster valves being a diilerentialpressure-controlled valve, and having means for setting thesame to openand close at any Predetermined desired dierential pressure, said boosternozzles and their valves operating to automatically admit impellingfluid directly from the impelling fluid line into the 'flow line toreduce the pressure when the static load of liquid in the ilow lineapproaches too closely to the pressur available in the impelling lluidline.

8. Ina deep well pumping apparatus, the combination vof a tubularpressure line, extending vdown from the earths surface for carryingoper-- a check-valve therein above the pump chamber,`

- erating thereafter to eiect the admission of the operating uid underpressure from the tubular pressure line into the upper portion of thepumpchamber to displace the liquid being pumped, and force the same upthe flow line, said control-valve being devoid of means for admittingthe operating fluid directly into the flow line above the pump; meansfor operating the control valve, and differential pressure operatedValve means independent .of the control-valve located at a plurality ofpoints up the flow line above the pump for admitting the said operatingfluid under pressure into the ow line to reduce the static head againstwhich the liquid is delivered from the pump-chamber into the ow line,thereby enabling the pump-chamber to operate with a reduced quantity andpressure of operating uid relative to that necessary to overcome thenormal static head that would otherwise exist at the pump-chamber.

. 9. In a deep Well pumping apparatus, the combination of a tubularpressure line extending down from the earths surface for carryingoperating uid under pressure to the liquid bearing formation, apump-chamber, a flow line extending down to a low level in thepump-chamber, a check-valve in the now line above the pumpchamber, acontrol-valve with means for venting the spent operating iiuid from thepumpchamber into the formation to permit the pumpchamber to liwith theliquid to be pumped while the pump-chamber is vented, said controlvalvehaving means for thereafter eiecting the admission of the operating uidunder pressure from the tubular pressure line into the upperportion ofthe pump-chamber to displace the liquid being pumped and force the sameup the flow line, said control-valve being devoid of means for admittingthe high-pressure operating iia j directly into the ow line; means foroperate the control valve and a plurality of booster nozzles l spacedapart from each other up the iiow pipe,

each having a differential pressure controlled valve with a springurging the valve to closed position and operating toppen only upon theexistence of a substantial difference of pressure between the interiorof the ow-pipe and the pressure line, for admitting the operating iiuid.from the pressure line to the interior o1' the iiow line to acceleratethe upward now of the liquid column.

GEORGE L. THOMPSON.

LEO A. CEJKA.

